2005 Season Summary
It could not have gotten much worse than the Siena Saints 2004-05 season in which they went 6-24 straight up and 9-17 against the spread as the Saints finished dead last in the Metro Atlantic Conference and were one of the worst teams on the board all year.
It is interesting to note, however, that Siena managed to get the cash in their final three regular season games of that debacle, which served as a reminder about college basketball gambling value and how teams can often be at their most valuable just when they have their absolute least amount of appeal.
Improvement likely
There was truly nowhere to go but up for Siena, and the good news was that in a mid-major conference such as the Metro Atlantic, improvement was possible both on the court and at the sportsbook because the teams received such little attention from the masses.
Siena opened the 2005-06 season with a 77-82 loss at Pennsylvania as a 14-point dog. That was followed by a 77-96 loss at Syracuse as whopping 23.5-point bargain dogs and then a 64-54 win over Fordham as 1-point home dogs to begin the year with three consecutive payoffs, as a college basketball betting market correction was well underway.
Siena next had a pair of unlined home games starting with a 68-63 win over Holy Cross followed by an 82-74 home win over Albany.
Cranking cash
Back on the boards at Niagara as an 8.5-point dog, Siena scored a 76-75 win/payoff. After a brief dip at Canisius in a 50-67 blowout loss as 2.5-point dogs, the Saints got back on track with a 69-78 loss/cover at Massachusetts as 12.5-point dogs. That was followed by a 75-67 home win over Youngstown State as 7-point chalks.
Following an unlined 76-65 win at Vermont, the Saints resumed cranking cash with a 79-81 win at Fairfield as 3-point dogs. That was followed by an 85-62 home win over Rider as 3.5-point chalks for their eighth payoff in nine games to start the season in the mirror opposite role of what they were in 2004-05, which was as one of the most profitable teams that could be found on the college basketball boards.
After a 77-85 home loss to Marist as 2-point chalks, the Saints resumed grabbing the cash with a 74-77 loss/cover at Manhattan as 11-point dogs. That was followed by a 77-69 home win over St. Peter’s as 4.5-point chalks and then a 76-55 home win over Canisius as 5-point chalks for a third consecutive payoff.
Brief dip
By this point Siena had climbed to the very top of the heap as far as profits for college basketball gambling and the public had not failed to notice. This, of course, served to transform Siena from something of a surprise team to being “discovered,” which would also serve to deplete them of board value, at least temporarily.
In their next game at home against Iona, the Saints suffered a 78-85 setback as 2-point dogs. That was followed by a 75-82 loss at Marist as 9-point chalks and then a 58-63 home loss to Manhattan as 2-point chalks for a brief dip of 1-2 against the spread.
Siena went on to split their next two games against the board starting with an 89-83 win at Loyola-Maryland as 3.5-point dogs and then a 63-81 loss at St. Peter’s as 4-point dogs.
Back in black
Siena cooled off just enough to get most of their board value back starting with a 58-47 home win over Fairfield as 6.5-point chalks. That was followed by a 92-73 win at Rider as 3-point dogs. Next was an 85-69 win over Loyola-Maryland as 6-point chalks for a third straight payoff before the streak ended with a 62-76 loss at Hofstra as 9-point dogs. The Saints went 2-0 SU and 1-0-1 ATS to end the regular season before losing to St Peter’s in the MAAC conference tournament 62-63 as 3.5-point chalks.